The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1887-04-22
Especial Correspondence.I

viii probably continue to be member of the
house for years to come. Judge Holman be-
lieves that it is the duty of members of con-
gress to attend to the wants of their constitu-
ents in person, and his stay in Washington is
necessitated by his business with the depart
ments. l had chat with him the other night
in the Hamilton house, in which he talked
freely of the changes in congress during his
experience. said: "Do you find, judge, that
the duties OF a congressman are more arduous
to-day than they were in the past?'
"Yes, indeed; the congressman of to-day
has much more to do than the congressman
before the war, but not more, think, than
the members who legislated Immediately
after the war. The pensions and the bounties
greatly increased the work of congress. Many
more letters are written now to and more in
formation is asked of congressman than gen.
Grafton ago. The advent of Cleveland to
power gave the Democratic congressman
much more to do in respect to the offices, and
their letters have increased greatly. The
number of Office seeking letters now, how
ever, is not more than one-third as large as
during the first year of Clevelands admins
tration. Most of the postoffices have been
filled, the postal clerks have been appointed,
and the mail of congressman has fallen off in
consequence. Still each congressman has a
great amount of business which he has to do
for his constituents outside of the Offices"
"Are not the duties of congressman to his
constituents SO great as to give him little or
no time for the study of national subjects? In
other words, can congressman be a national
statesman and do his duty to his district at
the same time?"
"I think he can with fair amount OF in
dustry," replied Judge Holman, Hand think
it is necessary that he should do the work of
his constituents himself and not have it done
through clerk or private secretary. 1t is
necessary that members of congress should
come in contact with the personnel and the
machinery of the departments in order to
make them efficient Legislators. It is only by
this contact that the congressman can acquire
any adequate knowledge of them; and the
fact that his constituents have work for him
to do before these departments forces him into
this knowledge. believe that the senator's
know less about the departments and the
running of the government to-day than the
members of the lower house. Their private
secretaries, which the government pays for,
do the business for them. They do not come
in contact with the chiefs Of divisions as the
representatives do, and they know less about
the workings of the government machinery.
A congressman has large enough salary to
allow him to employ stenographer for the
answering of his letters. / think he should
do this, but do not think that the govern
ment should be called upon to pay such ex-
penses for him"
"You are the exponent, judge, of the eco
nomical idea in American pouLics, and you
have ranked as such for years in the house.
When did you first begin your advocacy of
this idea!"
II have had this idea all my life. I advo-
Gated it in the Indiana legislature and consti-
tutional convention before I came to con-
gress, and I have worked for it ever since.
My theory is that the government should be
run on the closest possible basis, and that the
surplus should be kert at the minimum"
"Do you still think that the government,
taking into consideration its growth and pos
sibilities, is too extravagantly managed?"
Eyes; / think the tendency is always to ex-
travagance. In a great country like this the
differences of interests are 80 great that there
will always be strong effort from the diff
ferent sections of the country for an increase
of appropriations for their respective sec
tions. This will be true even if the surplus is
kept at a minimum. Wherever great surplus
exists the tendency to extravaganza is, of
course, greater. would have taxes for rev.
enue only, and my theory of the
government is that it is intended
only for the administering of the
laws and the keeping of the peace. When
ever it departs from this it departs from the
original idea of the constitution and tends
toward the monarchical and aristocratic forms
of government of the past, in which the few
were favored at the expense of many. In
this do not mean to denounce the giving of
pensions or the improvement of harbors
where such improvement has redounded to
the benefit Of large part Of the Union or Of
different states. This is legislation for the
good of the whole country, and legislation of
this nature think necessary"
as not the legislation of congress increas-
ing very rapidly"
eyes; congress cannot now do justice to
this legislation, and the result will be that the
sessions will have to be heightened. This
will be the case even if all special and local
legislation is taken away from congress. The
subjects of general legislation increase yearly.
Interstate commerce will consume much of
the time of the congress of the near future.
The labor question forms neY. field for dis
cussion. Our national defenses, and the tele-
graphs, and other momentous subjects are
sprung upon us every year, and it seems to
me that the general legislation of congress
alone win, within a short time, compel the
house to sit the year round, with, perhaps, a
short vacation during part Of July and
August
The conversation here turned to the labor
question; and as to the labor element in poll
tics, Judge Holman said:
I,n&
labor element is to be factor in our politics
It seems to me that the majority of this ele-
ment comes from the Democratic party. It
is impossible to say what will be its influence
in the future. hardly think it will form
distinct party and permanent organization
It's members, having come from the two great
parties, viii probably divide upon the tariff,
although they might come together on such
other subjects as the silver, the national
banks, etc. There are two elements in the
Labor party, one Of which is largely made up
of the manufacturing laborers and the other
the agricultural The latter are for free
trade, the former for protection. They might
unite to such an extent as TO further the gen.
eral interests Of laboring men, but ] do not
think they can form great and powerful
organization which will take the place OF
CAutCA VI Otie plAA oASos w 41co sA-AA-Ae
the tendency of this labor element is COM
munistic, and it seems that their sustaining
Powderly, who is very conservative man,
shows this to be so. J"
aDo you think, judge, that we are on the
verne of the formation of new and great
partiess WIN there soon De q political revo-
lution!n
las to that cannot prophesy. Such
changes come like thief in the night The
lines of the two great parties are drawing
near together, and there is not enough in the
tariif alone to make great party issue 1t
would seem to me that there must soon be q
change of some kind. lido not think it will
be party of the east as against one OF the
west, and think that the southern industrial
development win largely change the constitu-
tion OF parties ON the tariff issue. The man
nfactures which have grown up all over the
west and which are growing up in the south
viii prevent the divisions of those two great
sections ON the question OF the tariff.
Whether there viii be another greet issue
sprung Icannot say. / do not see il in the
political atmosphere to-day.
MiII Indiana have presidential candi-